Major tells us that this famous robber took away the goods of rich men only; never killed any person except in self-defence; never plundered the poor, but charitably fed them; and adds, “he was the most humane and the prince of all robbers.”—Britanniæ Historia, 128 (1740).
The abbot of St. Mary’s, in York, and the sheriff at Nottingham were his bêtês noires. Munday and Chettle wrote a popular play in 1601, entitled The Death of Robert, Earl of Huntington.
Epitaph of Robin Hood.
Hear undernead dis laitl stean
Laiz robert earl of Huntingtun.
Near arcir ver az hie sa geud,
An pipl kauld im robin heud.
Sick utlawz az hi an iz men
Vil england nivr si agen.
Obiit 24 (? 14) kal dekembris, 1247.
Dr. Gale (dean of York).
Robin Hood’s Fat Friar was Friar Tuck.
Robin Hood’s Men, outlaws, freebooters.
There came sodainly twelve men all appareled in short cotes of Kentish Kendal [green] ... every one of them ... like outlaws or Robyn Hodes men.—Hall (fo. lvi. b).
Robin Redbreast. One tradition is that the robin pecked a thorn out of the crown of thorns when Christ was on His way to Calvary, and the blood which issued from the wound, falling on the bird, dyed its breast red.
Another tradition is that it carries in its bill dew to those shut up in the burning lake, and its breast is red from being scorched by the fire of Gehenna.
He brings cool dew in his little bill,
And lets it fall on the souls of sin;
You can see the mark on his red breast still,
Of fires that scorch as he drops it in.
J. G. Whittier, The Robin.